Ministry of the Assembly
Duties: The celebration of the Eucharist is the action of the whole church. It
is the assembly who carries out the liturgy, under the leadership of the presiding
celebrant (priest). Each of us needs to be present to accomplish our ministry;
this is our right and duty as Catholic Christians. We minister to one another
by welcoming one another, acknowledging each other with a smile, sitting together,
and paying attention to each other. We move, sing, pray, and listen—together,
as one. In this way we build up each other’s faith and challenge one another
to conversion. When we are faithful to this ministry, we live out the unity for
which Jesus prayed in the Gospel of John (17:20-23).
While every Catholic Christian serves in the ministry of the assembly, many
are also called to special liturgical ministries in further service of the assembly: